Sesame noodles, a Chinese restaurant menu favorite, inspired this healthful, easy-to-assemble meal. (Try packing leftovers for lunch -- the noodles are delicious cold!) The peanut sauce is also great with grilled chicken or flank steak.
Serves 4 to 6.
- For the Tofu:
- 1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice (about 1 to 2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- For the Peanut Sauce:
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup hot water
- For the Noodles and Vegetables:
- 1 12-ounce package whole grain or regular spaghettini (thin spaghetti)
- 2 teaspoons mildly-flavored oil, such as canola
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
- 1 cup broccoli florets
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Lightly oil a medium baking dish.
Line a large cutting board with several paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Open and drain the package of tofu. Place the tofu block on the towels and cut into 1-inch cubes. Spread out the tofu cubes on the towels and top with more paper towels or another clean kitchen towel. Gently pat the towels to absorb excess moisture from the tofu.Transfer the tofu cubes to the oiled baking dish.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, ginger, and honey. Pour over the tofu, then toss the tofu cubes to coat. Allow the tofu to marinate at room temperature while you prepare the peanut sauce.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, rice vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, honey, garlic and pepper flakes. Add the hot water, and continue to whisk until the sauce smoothes out and lightens in color. Set aside.
Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Place the tofu in the preheated oven.
While you wait for the water to boil and the tofu to bake, make the vegetables. Warm the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the pepper, carrots, and broccoli, and saute until broccoli is bright green and vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
When the water boils, cook the pasta according to the package directions. In the meantime, turn the tofu cubes with a spatula. Continue to bake until lightly browned, about 5 to 8 minutes more. Remove the tofu from the oven. (The tofu and pasta should finish cooking at about the same time.)
Drain the pasta, place in a serving bowl, and toss with most of the peanut sauce. Serve the noodles topped with the vegetables and tofu, and drizzle with additional peanut sauce.